Jaguar is proud to note that the 2005 X-Type 3.0 Sportwagon's V6 engine is the most powerful in its class, making 227 hp at 6,800 rpm and 206 lb.-ft. torque at 3,000 rpm. However, the X-Type 3.0 Sportwagon is also the heaviest vehicle in its class, weighing a smidge more than the next most powerful Audi A4 Avant 3.0 quattro. Essentially identical to the 3.0-liter motor under the hoods of the Jaguar S-Type 3.0, the X-Type 3.0 Sportwagon's engine drives power through a five-speed automatic transmission equipped with J-gate manual shifting. Fuel economy rates 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway, though we'd guess that in real-world driving the X-Type 3.0 Sportwagon achieves lower numbers.

Traction-4 permanent four-wheel-drive is standard, splitting power 40 percent to the front wheels and 60 percent to the rear wheels. The power split doesn't vary depending on wheel slip, and the X-Type 3.0 Sportwagon cannot send more power to one wheel on an axle than another, making it a rather simple and unsophisticated system. Jaguar has chosen to bias power delivery to the rear wheels to give the X-Type 3.0 Sportwagon the feel of a rear-wheel-drive car and to preserve steering feel. Also, less power flowing through the X-Type 3.0 Sportwagon's equal-length front driveshafts means a lower possibility of torque steer.

Four-wheel-disc antilock brakes are standard and include Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). Jaguar tunes the X-Type 3.0 Sportwagon's four-wheel-independent suspension with unique spring and damper settings to achieve an optimum mix of ride and handling. A variable-effort rack-and-pinion steering system guides the front wheels.